Glentoran coach Tim McCann saluted the goal prowess of striker Jordan Jenkins after his team’s 2-0 victory over struggling Carrick Rangers at the BetMcLean Oval.

Following the departure of Declan Devine earlier this month, Paddy McCourt and McCann have taken on the managerial duties on an interim basis – and they certainly have helped turn around the club’s fortunes.

Jenkins bagged a first-half double to help ease the pain that has hovered over the east Belfast club this season.

Things may have been different if referee Tony Clarke awarded the visitors a spot-kick after only two minutes following an attack involving Carrick’s Paul Heatley.

placeholder image — Glentoran's Jordan Jenkins finished as the two-goal hero in victory over Carrick Rangers. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

However, McCann believes it’s now important the Glens build on their last two results – having also won away at Cliftonville.

“Credit must go to the players,” said the former Glentoran and Cliftonville winger. “They have had to deal with a lot of stuff over the past few weeks, but they have stood up to the challenge.

“They drive themselves on...we know we haven’t been good enough at times in this campaign, but we are determined to get out of the situation we are in.

“Hopefully, we can start climbing the table...if you put any kind of a run together in this league, it can change very quickly.

"Every team is going to have a blip, that’s the way football is.”

Jenkins struck after only eight minutes when Ryan Cooney’s throw-in caused mayhem in the Carrick defence and the ball eventually fell to the alert striker at the back post who made no mistake.

His second on 26 minutes was a classic. Ross Clarke’s penetrating run on the right carved open the visiting defence and, when the ball broke to Jenkins, he curled home a beauty from the edge of the box.

“Jordan has that in his locker, that’s four goals in three games,” added McCann. “We all know the quality he has in and around the box.

“We were a little bit disappointed we didn’t have more goals by half-time.

"It’s two wins from two, but we are not getting carried away...there is a lot of hard work up ahead.”

Crusaders manager Stephen Baxter admitted his boys were punished for some schoolboy defending in the first half.

“We switched off in key moments,” said Baxter. “The two goals were a major disappointment for me.

"We had three chances to clear the ball for the first one, but made a mess of it.

“The second, we were not tight to the man in a wide area. He was allowed time and space to cut inside and their striker put a lovely shot into the top corner...Jenkins has that ability.

“It was not a good enough start from us and that was disappointing. When you come to places like the you must be sharper to the ball and tighter in your tactics.”

GLENTORAN: Mills, Cooney, Kane, Clarke, Stewart (Daniels, 53), Sloggett (Kelly, 71), Brown, Larmour (Rogers-Duffy, 87), Singleton, Jenkins (Gallagher, 87), Douglas (McMenamin, 87).

Subs (not used): Crellin, Sule.

CARRICK RANGERS: Gartside, Nelson, Forsythe, Callagher, Clucas (Maciulaitis, 46), Gibson, Lecky (O’Connor, 74), Steele, Buchanan-Rolleston, Heatley (Moore, 86), Snoddy.

Subs (not used): Agnew, Hawthorne, Crown, Carlisle.

Referee: Tony Clarke.